We’re about to embark on another Buddhist book (Buddhist Sutra / Pali Canon) adventure. We’ve read many fascinating and eye opening texts from the Surangama & Diamond sutras to Pali Canon Anthologies (by Bhikkhu Bodhi).

Let's read the Dhammapada!

Dhammapada as described by Bhikkhu Bodhi: "From ancient times to the present, the Dhammapada has been regarded as the most succinct expression of the Buddha;s teaching found in the Pali Canon and the chief spiritual testament of early Buddhism...."

Wiki:"...is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures..."

This Dhammapada version we selected is translated by Gil Fronsdal. While there are many translations, Pete Sarfaty who will be leading this book discussion found this translation to be good for our group.

Translator Gil Fronsdal's comment: "In this translation, I have tried to put aside my own interpretations and preferences, insofar as possible, in favor of accuracy. In attempting a literal translation, I am trying to understand early Buddhism in its own terms so I can better evaluate our modern versions of Buddhism. After nearly thirty years of practice, I remain inspired by the teachings of the Buddha, and I hope to understand better what the Buddha taught by going back to the original text and rendering it into modern English."
https://www.lionsroar.com/in-translation-the-inexhaustable-dhammapada/

Please try to read the same version but if you have another translated version, you are also welcome to join, if you have done the reading. However, when we reference texts, translations or pages, we will be focused on Gil Fronsdal.

READING:
- Commentary
- Introduction
- Ch-1
- Ch-2

There are a lot of reading here and we will likely not finish all the chapters. If we don't finish, we will start right where we left off next time.

FORMAT: we may do either a combination of physical and virtual meet or fully virtual meet. If we go virtual, will send out Zoom invite. '

NOTE that we are here to read, exchange and help each other. We’re not here to expound. If you need deeper learning, please go visit a Buddhist teaching center.

- - - Links to Book - - -
https://www.shambhala.com/dhammapada-15046.html

https://www.amazon.com/Dhammapada-Translation-Buddhist-Classic-Annotations/dp/1590303806/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Dhammapada+Translated+by+Gil+Fronsdal&qid=1578945162&sr=8-1

- - - Link to another version of Dhammapada - - -
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/scrndhamma.pdf

I'm so excited to read this book with fellow seekers. We learn and practice in hope of gaining some insights in life and beyond. I was very fortunate to have sought the advice from the abbot of Vajra Dakini Nunnery (Drikung Kagyu lineage), Venerable Khenmo Drolma; she recommended this book to me.

The author Dzogchen Rinpoche is acknowledged as one of the foremost scholars and meditation masters of his generation in the Nyingma and Kagyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism. http://www.dpr.info/biography/

FORMAT: We plan to meet once every two to three weeks, usually on Saturdays. Madison will be leading our discussions. We may do this as a combination of physical and virtual or all virtual. If we go virtual, will send out a Zoom invite.

NOTE: that we are here to read, exchange and help each other. We’re not here to expound. If you need deeper learning, please go visit a Buddhist teaching center.

READING: For our first meet, please read through Chapter 1 and 2.
We will likely only have time to cover Chapter 1.

- - - Where to buy the book - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- From Author - http://www.dpr.info/books/mind-beyond-death/
- From Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Beyond-Death-Dzogchen-Ponlop/dp/1559393017/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1582176662&sr=8-1

- - - Reviews - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
---- "Mind Beyond Death goes a long way toward demystifying these teachings about the transition between one life and another and making them relevant to everyday life. The way to meet death fully, says Ponlop Rinpoche, is to die every day to every moment to everything. To our thoughts to our agony to our emotions to our loving relationships—even to our joy...." —Shambhala Sun
---- "Ponlog Rinpoche's excellent book, Mind Beyond Death, is a great contribution...." —Robert Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor, Columbia University; translator of The Tibetan Book of the Dead
---- "With profound understanding of the Western mind and warm informality, Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche makes the Tibetan teachings on the bardos - the intervals of life, death, and beyond - completely available to the modern reader.... The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche is one of the foremost scholars and educators of his generation in the Nyingma and Kagyu lineages of Tibetan Buddhism." —Shambhala Sun

We'll have a pre-Thanksgiving brunch at Vegetarian Dim Sum House.  After dim sum, for those who are interested, we will do an informal tour of the Buddhist Temples in Chinatown. This will probably last 1.5 hr so we will likely finish the tour around 2:30 pm.

Please join us again for the 2015 NYC Walk to Feed the Hungry organized by Buddhist Global Relief ("BGR").  

Last year we had a great time, meeting other compassionate Buddhists, like minded friends, and monastics from many different sanghas.  http://www.meetup.com/DharmaDrink/events/225051977/

I won't be there this time but if you can, it's for a great cause.